Arendell Parrott Academy managed to erase a 13-point deficit but not to overcome the visiting Spartans.

The Patriots’ Zacchaeus Rasberry cut Kerr-Vance Academy’s lead to 59-56 with less than 2 minutes to play, but Drew Griggs answered by beating transition to a wide-open low post for the basket.

He converted an extra-point play as Kerr-Vance escaped with a 66-60 victory Friday night.

The loss stretched the Patriots’ losing streak to four.

“We didn’t get the breaks,” APA coach Shivar Person said. “I thought our strategy was fine. We knew they weren’t a good free throw-shooting team, and we started fouling them with four minutes to go in the game.”

Kerr-Vance (9-9 overall, 3-7 Eastern Plains Independence Conference) missed 14 free throws in the last quarter, while Parrott beat the Spartans on the glass, 37-29, in a game that was pushed up a day because of weather advisory.

When the Patriots began the flurry of fouls, super shooter R.J. Hunt was the victim. He led the game with 34 points.

He was eight-of-14 from the line, missing six in the fourth, which was exactly what Parrott needed.

“He knows how to put the ball in the basket,” Person said of Hunt, EPIC’s leading who averages 22.8 points. “But we did our job in the second half on him. He could have scored 50 probably. It blows my mind for a shooter of his caliber to not be able to make free throws, and we knew that.

“That’s why you foul him.”

While surrendering points to the charity stripe, Hunt exploded for a quick nine to open the second half. He also hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the first, as Parrott never led during the contest.

Parrott’s trap defense stammered KVA’s efficiency before halftime, with the Patriots’ production speeding up after the break.

Page 2 of 4 - Pierce Beaman drained four treys in the third quarter alone, and Rasberry collected a trio of and-1 opportunities in the second half. He converted one into a three-point play late in the game to bring the Patriots within three with 1:24 on the clock.

Beaman scored a team-high 19 for Parrott, and Rasberry had 17. John McLawhorn grabbed 16 boards to lead the Patriots.

“We started off pretty flat, but as a team we came together,” Rasberry said. “We were determined to come back and make the game close and try to win the game.”

A second-half shot block and stolen inbounds pass were one of many plays that weren’t enough to get Parrott the win.

The Patriots host Senior Night Friday against Grace Christian as they play their last home game of the season.

“We’re going to do everything we can to win for our four seniors,” Person said. “We lost three of the last four games by six points or less, and it’s tough. It tests you mentally and physically, but we’re strong.

“We’re going to bounce back.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.